Five Ways Millennials are Altering Wedding Traditions

Everywhere you look in recent years, there are headlines to be found about the millennial generation.  For older generations, this young segment of the population is almost foreign, simply because the young adults were the first generation of kids to grow up with technology as part of their daily life.  They aren’t just comfortable using smartphones, the internet, apps, and the cloud – most consider them essential.  Perhaps because of the divide that has occurred as a result of all of those headlines, or maybe because of the access they have to ideas and concepts from all over the world, the millennials are also apt to shake up tradition.

The White Wedding Gown The young adults in this country are far more apt to choose to be married in less than traditional attire.  Grooms in flip flops and brides in floral gowns are becoming increasingly more common.  That’s not the end of it, either. Young brides don’t feel pressured to choose a white gown or even a gown at all.  They are opting for the attire that suits their personalities, regardless of what tradition dictates.

Formal Invite and Dress Sure, they are mailing out wedding invites, as the brides before them always did, but millennials aren’t always willing to opt for the classic formal invitation.  They are having more fun with color, design, and even shape.  The same is true for the dress code at these modern weddings.  No longer is formal a requirement at all weddings.

Same Sex Wedding Parties If the brides best friend is a male, he isn’t apt to be a groomsman these days.  You are much more likely to see him by the bride’s side.  Groomsmen aren’t necessarily men, and bridesmaids may just be male.  Millennials are happily setting aside such formality in favor of keeping friends – male or female – in the places of honor they deserve.

The Church Ceremony The young brides and grooms don’t feel pressured to be married in a church by a priest or minister.  Many are opting for outdoor weddings or are creating alters in large entertainment venues instead.

The Saying of Traditional Vows Just as they are willing to forego the church wedding, many brides and grooms want nothing to do with the traditional wedding vows.  Instead, it is becoming increasingly common for vows to be written by those saying them.